Mark King

Executive Emeritus, adidas

Mark King has been a prominent figure in the sports business world for almost 40 years, creating a legacy of innovation and prosperity.

The CEO of TaylorMade-adidas Golf from 2003 to 2014, King originally started his career at TaylorMade in the early 1980s as a local sales rep before moving through the ranks thanks to his continual success and engaging personality. Under his leadership, TaylorMade-adidas transformed the industry’s innovation and product release cycle, at one time becoming the most profitable golf company in the world.

From 2014 through 2018, King served as president of adidas North America, helping turn a stalled business into the fastest-growing sports brand in North America. Under his leadership, adidas’ growth flourished as the company’s market share doubled in less than three years, the number of employees doubled, and sales tripled.

King encouraged a creative and open-thinking environment for people to thrive, driving an industry-shattering retention rate, the highest employee net promoter score in the company’s history and more than 500,000 job applications in one year. In 2018, adidas recognized King with executive emeritus status to honor his legacy and lasting impact on the company.

While King remains an advisor to adidas, he is also serving as a consultant for Honma Golf in guiding the company’s strategy as it seeks to increase its North American presence. A native of Green Bay, Wisconsin, King is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay.